Mohammed bin Salman Declines Macron’s G7 Évian Invitation as Saudi Arabia Takes France Bilaterally in Riyadh (opens in new tab)

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman declined French President Emmanuel Macron's personal invitation to the G7 Évian Arab-leaders session on June 16, citing 'prior commitments.' On the same Thursday, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan received Macron's Middle East adviser Dora Cattuti in Riyadh to discuss the same Iran-and-Hormuz file. The substantive Saudi-France policy conversation has not gone away. It has moved out of the G7 room.